This is what I wrote about in a previous OpEd.
From KQQQ:
A worsening budget shortfall at the University of Idaho is forcing the institution to consider cutting academic programs, layoffs and salary reductions. New UI President Scott Greet quietly posted an online financial update to the campus community on Wednesday.
Green states that the UI’s financial challenges date back 10 years and the shortfall is now expected to balloon to 22 million dollars in 2 years. 14 million dollars in spending cuts were implemented in the current budget following 5 million dollars in cuts during the 2019 fiscal year. Green’s update also reveals 21 million dollars in “operating losses” during fiscal year 2018 and the use of 33 million dollars in reserves in that same budget.
Green says the UI can no longer use reserves to balance the budget. That account was further replenished last year to cover a 19 million dollar shortfall. Green says that reserves needed to be left “untouched” last year and that funds in the account should have been increased. With no expectation of increased revenues Green announced that this year’s 14 million dollars in cuts are now permanent and that an additional 8 million dollars in cuts are anticipated by 2022.
Green’s explanation for the growing budget shortfall states that spending cuts under previous president Chuck Staben, “did not fully address the coming deficits.” Green also went to to say that, “current enrollment trends suggest that tuition will likely decline another 8 million dollars over the next 2 years.” His financial update also mentions that, “new issues have emerged that required our attention.”
Green says that the UI will now consider a wide range of spending cuts including cutting academic programs, layoffs and salary reductions.
He will host a forum next week in Moscow to discuss the budget problem. Where and when the forum will be held has yet to be announced.
UI spokeswoman Jodi Walker has yet to respond to multiple attempts from Pullman Radio News for further clarification regarding the institution’s budget crisis.
UPDATE: Walker has now responded to our questions.
The “new issues” involve state lawmakers telling the UI not to request additional funding and the Idaho State Board of Education telling the UI not to ask for an increase in tuition rates.
The 33 million dollars mentioned from the 2018 budget was the shortfall from that fiscal year and not the amount of reserve spending.
The “current enrollment trends suggest that tuition will likely decline” refers to an expansion of a UI tuition rebate for non-resident students in the Western U.S.
The budget forum will be on Thursday, November 7th at 3:00 in the Idaho Student Union Building Clearwater Whitewater Room.